OBS Studio Recording Settings That Actually Look Good

Main OBS Studio user interface displaying Output Settings Panel that includes Encoder and Bitrate Options for Video Encoding

Most people record with OBS Studio because it's free, open source, and runs on anything. But out of the box, OBS has been set up to stream rather than to be used as a recorder. Streaming and recording require different priorities, and the output defaults will compromise this priority. therefore, when doing a local recording, the video will appear to be softer than it is.

Many users have recorded something, played back the recording, and noticed that the screen capture looked like a low bitrate version of what was uploaded to YouTube. The reason for this is usually found within the Output Tab.

This guide is focused on the actual recording options that are important when it comes to local recording. We will also go over your choices of encoders for each type of video card (Nvidia, AMD, Intel, Apple) along with your rate control option (CBR vs CQP vs CRF), setting up multi-track audio so that editing is much simpler, and why you should never use a recording preset the same as a streaming preset.

Recording and Streaming Are Different Jobs

The majority of "Why does my video look so bad when I record it?" posts to r/OBS are a direct result of users being tricked into setting up their OBS with the same canvas, scenes, and sources for streaming as they do for recording.

Streaming has to fit into your upload pipe. So you have to select a bitrate your internet connection can support. typically somewhere in the range of 4,000 to 8,000 kbps for 1080p60 when going to Twitch or Youtube. The encoding process needs to be able to provide a constant data rate so the ingest server from the streaming platform doesn't get choked. Therefore CBR (constant bitrate) is used and this is the right choice for streaming.

Recording does not have this limitation. You're writing to a local solid-state drive (SSD) with unlimited write speed capability, and since there is virtually unlimited disk space for recordings, there's no reason to limit your encoding bitrate as if it were being streamed. That's why you see an "Advanced" option in the "Output" tab.

Set output mode to advanced. Then click on recording tab. Everything we change from here forward lives in this tab and will have no effect on your stream. You can broadcast at 6000 kbps (kilo bits per second) and record at 50000 kbps simultaneously and OBS will handle both encoders parallel.

Pick the Right Encoder for Your Hardware

The encoder setting is the most critical choice you can make with this software. The encoder decides how the captured pixel data gets turned into an encoded (compressed) version of that data to be written out as a file. This means different encoders will yield images of varying quality at the exact same bitrate depending on the type of hardware inside your computer. As such, there are few other factors that determine which encoder to use.

Nvidia NVENC

When using a GeForce RTX 20-series or later, NVENC H.264 or NVENC HEVC is the recommended option for encoding. Since NVENC is an encoder running on a dedicated silicon (chip) inside the graphics processing unit (GPU), there will be no cost in terms of CPU utilization when utilizing this method. Although the image quality generated by the NVENC encoders used from the Turing generation forward are very similar to those generated by a slower preset of x264, they run at full speed and do not overheat your computer's processor.

For recording, use Preset P5 (slow) or P6 (slower), as these presets will provide higher quality than P7 (slowest) that may impede the ability of an encoder to handle complex parts of a scene. Use High Quality for Tuning instead of low latency, since your goal in this case isn't to minimize the latency to the viewer. Use "High" profile. If your card supports it, enable look-ahead and psycho visual tuning, as their impact on performance is minimal with today's hardware.

Apple Silicon VideoToolbox

OBS runs the H.264 and HEVC encoders using the Apple Silicon media engine for video encoding on M1, M2, M3, and M4 Macs. The efficiency is remarkable for how little system resources it uses. Recording a 1080p60 video at 40,000 kbps produces virtually no load in Activity Monitor.

Video Toolbox video quality has gotten progressively better with each iteration of Apple Silicon. Specifically, the HEVC codec produces good to excellent quality at significantly lower bitrate than H.264. As such, for file-size-conscious shooters, HEVC is clearly the way to go for producing video on an Apple Silicon machine. However, while many editing applications currently support HEVC (and will continue to do so), there are a number of applications that may be problematic.

x264 (CPU Encode)

x264 utilizes your computer's CPU. If you have a powerful 12-core or 16-core processor and aren't doing anything else at the same time as recording, then x264 (on either Medium or Slow presets) is able to produce the highest video quality for each bitrate than any other codec. However, as soon as you attempt to do something like record your gaming session (or any other activity that requires high CPU usage), your frame rate will plummet.

x264 on Medium is quite good for tutorial style content as well as talking head type videos. It is not recommended for gameplay capture, where the CPU is already busy.

AMD AMF and Intel QuickSync

AMD's AMF on RX 7000-series cards has caught up with NVENC. Older AMD cards (Polaris, Vega) need higher bitrates to match NVENC quality. Intel Quick Sync on 11th-gen-or-newer CPUs (and Arc GPUs) is a reasonable middle ground without a discrete GPU.

OBS Studio output settings panel showing encoder presets, rate control options, and bitrate fields

CBR vs CQP vs CRF: Pick the Right Rate Control

The rate control option can be confusing. Typically, there will be about 3-4 options available from a drop-down list. these include CBR, VBR, CQP (NVENC), and CRF (x264). Depending upon your encoder, you may also see ICQ or ABR in addition to these. With recording, it really all boils down to just 2 of those options.

CBR keeps the data rate identical throughout your entire recording. A still talking-head shot and a fast pan with motion blur consume the same bitrate. The advantage is predictable file size. The disadvantage is wasted bandwidth on easy scenes and starved bandwidth on hard scenes. It works fine for recording when you just want consistent behavior.

Constant Quality Video Encoding has two forms. CQP (Constant Quality Preset) is the NVIDIA encoder option. CRF (Constant Rate Factor) is the x264 equivalent. You enter a quality target, e.g. CQP 20, and the encoder uses whatever bitrate it needs to hit that target across all frames.

CQP 18 is close to visually lossless. CQP 20 to 23 is the sweet spot for screen captures and gameplay. Beyond CQP 28 images start to look soft. The CRF scale on x264 maps to the same quality levels.

The disadvantage of CQP/CRF is unpredictable file size. An hour-long recording could be 8GB during quiet content or 25GB during active scenes. If you are planning storage tightly, CBR makes that easier. For everything else, CQP or CRF is the better call.

VBR (Variable Bitrate) is the third option and is the least desirable for recording.

Resolution, Framerate, and File Format

In Settings then Video, set Base Canvas Resolution to your monitor's native resolution. A 1440p monitor should be set to 2560 x 1440. Set Output Scaled Resolution to match. If you're seeing dropped frames at native resolution, drop the output a step. Better a clean 1080p than a stuttering 1440p.

For framerate, 60fps is worth the bitrate for gameplay or anything with fast motion. Use 30fps for tutorials, talking heads, software demos or static-camera podcasts to cut file size by about half. Skip 24fps for screen content. It looks juddery on cursor movement and scrolling.

Under the Recording tab, choose your container. MKV is crash safe. If your system crashes during a recording, the file remains playable up to that point. MP4 can corrupt entirely if the write doesn't finish cleanly. Hybrid MP4 combines MKV's crash safety with MP4's compatibility and is the best option if your OBS version offers it.

If you need MP4 for editing or upload, enable Automatically Remux to mp4 under Settings then Advanced then Recording. OBS creates an MP4 copy of every finished recording with no re-encoding and no quality loss.

Multi-Track Audio Is the Killer Feature

Most OBS users skip this one setting, but most professional editors rely on it. Look for "Audio Track" boxes under the "Settings," then "Output," then "Recording." Track 1 is selected by default and most people just let it be that way.

OBS Studio audio mixer panel with multiple tracks and per-source meters

Enable Tracks 1 through 4 as needed, then right-click on your mixer and click "Advanced Audio Properties" for each of the audio sources to assign how that source records to your tracks. Typical set up:

  • Track 1: mixed audio (mic + desktop), backup for quick previews
  • Track 2: microphone only
  • Track 3: desktop audio only
  • Track 4: game audio or a second mic, if applicable

The final MKV or MP4 will contain your microphone's separate audio stream from the game's audio stream. In almost every single video editing platform (i.e., Resolve, Premiere Pro, Final Cut) you are able to reduce/turn down the volume for the game's audio separately from the microphone while narration is being recorded. turn off the microphone at some point in the recording (without having to remove the background sound of the game). or use various levels of equalization and compression on each track individually.

Better quality recordings are made using better mics. Even with the best encoder settings, a laptop's built-in noisy mic can't be fixed. A decent USB microphone makes more difference than any encoder tweak. When looking for higher-quality recordings, use an inexpensive desktop audio mixer to get individual channel gains and headphone monitoring.

The sample rate under settings > audio > should be set to 48 kHz. that's standard for all video projects and is expected by most editors. Each of your tracks should have an audio bitrate of a minimum of 192 kbps AAC, or as high as 320 kbps in order to provide some additional room.

Sensible Defaults for Most Setups

If you've come straight to this section looking for the simple answer then here are your settings for a 1080p60 local recording that will give you the best possible editing options:

  • Encoder: NVENC HEVC (Nvidia), VideoToolbox HEVC (Apple Silicon), or x264 Medium (idle CPU)
  • Rate Control: CQP 20 for NVENC, CRF 20 for x264, ICQ 20 for QuickSync
  • Keyframe Interval: 2 seconds (better for editor scrubbing)
  • Preset: P5 or P6 for NVENC, Medium for x264
  • Profile: High
  • Format: Hybrid MP4 or MKV with auto-remux
  • Audio Tracks: 1 (mix), 2 (mic only), 3 (desktop only) at 192 kbps AAC, 48 kHz

Point your Video Recording to an SSD (a faster than hard drive) that has ample free storage space. When you use a spindle disk, it will loose some frames when using High bitrate settings at 1440p or 4K. If your internal HDD is full of video files then consider purchasing an external SSD for video capture, so you can have one dedicated area for all of your video recordings.

If you are going to be capturing content as well as recording it, then make sure that you have planned for your encoding workload. The NVENC can handle multiple encoder sessions on most modern cards and does this in a very efficient way. On the other hand, x264 and all of the CPU based encoders generally will not be able to handle both at the same time. So when we are talking about using two computers (dual-PC setup) or just a capture card for our console captures, the capture card with a video output connection feeds OBS like any other source.

If you're looking for specific capture methods based on your games, we've got a round-up of PC game recording software that compares OBS with other options specifically tailored to each type of game. For dedicated streaming or podcast mixing hardware, the Rodecaster Pro II is the gold standard at B&H for multi-track audio routing alongside OBS.

OBS Studio scene layout with sources, scenes, and audio mixer visible

Frequently Asked Questions

Should I use H.264 or HEVC for OBS recording?

H.264 is the safer option. Every editor handles it natively and every device plays it back. HEVC is superior on paper with smaller files at similar quality, but editor support is uneven. Resolve handles HEVC fine on Apple Silicon and modern PCs. Premiere also supports it. Older editors and many free tools can struggle.

Why does my OBS recording look blurry even at high bitrate?

Usually because the encoder preset is too fast. NVENC P1 (Fastest) or x264 Ultra Fast / Super Fast presets prioritize encode speed over quality. Switch NVENC to P5 or P6, or switch x264 to Medium. Verify the rate control isn't set to ABR or VBR with a low maximum.

Do I need to upgrade my GPU just for OBS?

Probably not. NVENC has been excellent since the RTX 20-series in 2018, and older Pascal cards handle 1080p60 fine. If your card has no NVENC at all (Intel HD graphics, very old AMD), an upgrade matters. Otherwise, software settings will get you further than hardware.

Is OBS recording good enough for YouTube uploads?

Yes, easily. A 1080p60 OBS recording at CQP 20 is significantly higher quality than what YouTube will store after re-encoding. Upload the OBS output (or edit and export at similar quality) and YouTube's processing pipeline becomes the bottleneck, not your recording. For editing tools, the free video recording and editing software roundup pairs OBS with editors that handle its files well.

Why does my recording desync between video and audio?

Usually a sample rate mismatch. If your audio interface runs at 44.1 kHz and OBS is set to 48 kHz, resampling can introduce drift over long recordings. Set everything (interface, OBS, OS audio) to 48 kHz. If drift continues, try a different buffer setting in your interface software, or switch to ASIO on Windows for tighter timing.

Should I record at the same bitrate I stream at?

Almost never. Streaming bitrates (4,000-8,000 kbps) are constrained by upload bandwidth and platform caps. Local recording has no such limit, and a streaming-bitrate recording will look noticeably softer than the source. Set the recording side independently to a much higher bitrate, or use CQP/CRF for constant quality.